Crime
PHOTOS: EFCC arraigns Kaduna PDP Reps candidate and one other for N26m money laundering, vote buying in Abuja
The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, arraigned one Esther Ashivelli Dawaki and Shehu Aliyu Fatange before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja for financial crimes.
Ms Dawaki was the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Chikun/Kajuru in the bye election held in August.
The opposition party had earlier accused security operatives of ‘abducting’ Ms Dawaki.
According to the commission, Dawaki and Fatange are facing prosecution on a five-count charge, bordering on accepting and making cash payments in excess of the amount authorised by law, conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N26 million (Twenty Six million Naira).
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Esther Ashivilli Dawaki (F) and other, now at large on or about 16th of August, 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did procure one Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) to commit an offence to wit: accepting cash payment of the sum of N26,000,000.00 (Twenty-six Million Naira, only), without going through a financial institution, which sum exceeded the amount authorised by the law and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(C )(a) and 19(1)(d) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”
Another charge reads: “That you, Shehu Aliyu Fatange (M) on or about the 16th of August, 2025 at Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did accept cash payment of the sum of N26,000,000.00 (Two-Six Million Naira, only), which exceeds the amount authorised by the law to one Esther Ashivelli dawaki (F) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2(1)(a) and 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.”
They both pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which prosecution counsel, M. O, Arumemi asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre.
While counsel to the defendants, E. N. Ogbu and A.A. Ashat had no objections, they made oral applications for their bail. They asked for a short adjournment as well as for the defendants to be remanded in EFCC’s holding facility, pending determination of the bail applications.
Justice Nwite ordered for the remand of Dawaki, the first defendant in the Suleja Correctional Center, while he ordered that Fatange, the second defendant be remanded in Kuje Correctional Center and adjourned the matter till Monday, September 15, 2025 for the hearing of the bail application.
The suspects were arrested on August 16, 2025, following credible intelligence that exposed them to have possessed the sum of N26,463,000.00 (Twenty-six Million Four Hundred and Sixty-three Thousand Naira), which they kept inside a Toyota Corolla 2010 model, belonging to Shehu and packed within a hotel premises in Kaduna.
While Fatange upon arrest, identified himself as the director general of the campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP flag-bearer in the the Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency bye-election which held on the same August 16, 2025, the sum was suspected to have been earmarked for vote buying in the said election.
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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a businesswoman, Iwebema Ogechi Peace, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, after allegedly discovering 7.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a false compartment of her luggage.
This was disclosed in a statement to Naija News on Sunday signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
The 38-year-old suspect, who claimed she regularly travelled to China to purchase goods for sale in Nigeria, was arrested on June 21 while preparing to board a Qatar Airways flight to Beijing.
According to the NDLEA, the arrest followed credible intelligence, while a search of her luggage uncovered four large parcels of cocaine professionally concealed beneath a false bottom.
In another major operation, the anti-narcotics agency recovered 4,959 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, with an estimated street value of ₦12.397 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The seizure followed more than four weeks of intelligence-led surveillance on a 40-foot container carrying 195 sacks of the illicit substance alongside a Ford and a Nissan vehicle.
The container was tracked from Toronto, Canada, through Montreal and Morocco before arriving in Lagos.
The drugs were recovered during a joint examination involving officers of the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
The agency also uncovered a syndicate allegedly involved in planting illicit drugs inside the luggage of unsuspecting interstate travellers.
The operation began after NDLEA operatives intercepted a Sienna bus travelling from Nnewi, Anambra State, to Abuja at Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory.
A package containing 467.7 grams of methamphetamine concealed inside a bag of clothes was recovered during the search.
The supposed recipient, Gloria Peter, was arrested at Utako Motor Park but denied ownership of the package.
Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of loaders in Nnewi, who allegedly confessed that the package had been secretly placed in the woman’s luggage on the instruction of the bus driver, Abdurrazak Isah.
The driver later identified another passenger, Onyebuchi Victor Okoye, as the owner of the illicit consignment, leading to his arrest in Abuja.
NDLEA operatives also arrested two nationals of the Benin Republic, Hossou Tito Julien, 30, and Mancellim Dossou, 19, alongside a Nigerian, Jackson ThankGod, after intercepting a truck conveying 558,900 pills of Tramadol 250mg.
The truck, travelling from Togo through the Benin Republic into Nigeria, was intercepted on the Mile 2 Bridge in Lagos following intelligence reports.
A search of the vehicle uncovered the tramadol tablets hidden inside a fabricated compartment.
In another operation, officers arrested 57-year-old Ikechukwu Uwakwe at the Iddo Motor Park in Lagos with 209.5 kilograms of Scottish Loud allegedly destined for Enugu State.
Along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lucky Abonga and Osas Azamobo were arrested while transporting 118 kilograms of skunk concealed among legitimate goods in a truck travelling from Lagos to Onitsha.
Similarly, Helen Ese Idiji, 40, and Rashidat Sa’adullah, 53, were arrested in the Amukoko area of Lagos with 28.8 kilograms of skunk.
Investigations indicated that Helen allegedly stored the illicit drugs at Rashidat’s residence before distributing them to customers.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations for their sustained efforts in drug supply reduction and public sensitisation under the War Against Drug Abuse campaign.
He urged personnel across the country to remain vigilant and sustain the momentum in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and abuse.
Source: naijanews.com
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Crime
PHOTOS: Police arrest two women for alleged child trafficking and ritual activities, rescue four children in Niger State
The Niger State Police Command has rescued four children from suspected traffickers operating under the guise of adoption and orphanage services.
Spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, June 26, 2026 said the suspects, Promise Chukwudi, 68, and her accomplice, Mrs Suzanna Onojekwo, 62, were arrested for child trafficking and ritual activities.
According to the PPRO, the children were recovered on June 3, 2026, during a raid on a residence behind the old NEPA area in Suleja, where police arrested the two women.
One of the children was found in Onojekwo’s residence on Church Road in the same town.
The suspects claimed the children, all originally from Karim-Lamido in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, had been lawfully released to them by their parents between November 2025 and February 2026 for adoption purpose.
Contrary to the suspects’ claims, several parents from Abuja, Nasarawa, and Benue States emerged to claim the children.
Mrs Chukwudi said she previously operated an orphanage known as Precious Promise Nursery, Primary and Orphanage Home in 2022, which she resumed in November 2025, and that she described herself as a licensed herbal medical practitioner.
During a search of her residence, a shrine, animal skulls, pieces of multi-coloured clothing and bird feathers, amongst other fetish items, were discovered.
“Police operatives of the Command’s State Intelligence Department, acting on reliable information on 3rd June 2026 mobilized to a location behind old Nepa area, Suleja where a suspected child trafficker and ritualist was arrested, and four children between the ages of 4-7yrs were rescued,” the statement read.
“The suspects arrested include; Mrs Promise Chukwudi 68yrs of Suleja, and her accomplice, Mrs Suzanna Onojekwo 62yrs of Church road, Suleja in whose residence one of the children was found.
“The suspects claimed that the children were released to them by their parents, all natives of Karim-Lamido in Gassol LGA of Taraba State, between the months of November to February 2026 for adoption.
“She added that she previously ran an orphanage home called Precious Promise Nursery, Primary & Orphanage home in 2022, but resumed operation in November 2025.
“She also claimed to be a licensed herbal medical practitioner who provides local medicine for ailments.
“During investigations, different parents emerged from Abuja, Nasarawa and Benue States to claim the children contrary to the suspect’s claim and in the course of searching her residence, the following were discovered; a shrine, animal skulls, pieces of multi-coloured clothing and bird feathers, amongst other fetish items.
“The suspects were transferred to the Police headquarters Minna for discreet investigation and the children were handed over to child rights agency for care, as investigation to identify the parents continues.
“The suspects have been charged to court for prosecution.”
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